Northampton Teen Pleads Guilty to Plotting Birmingham School Massacre

The 16-year-old was arrested at his home in Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire (Reuters)

A 16-year-old boy who planned a school massacre in Birmingham has pleaded guilty to terrorism charges for possessing explosive chemicals and bomb-making information.

The teenager, who cannot not be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at Birmingham magistrates court to two terrorism charges and one count of possession of prohibited images of children.

He was ordered detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act.

The boy was arrested at his home in Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire, in February 2012. He admitted possessing explosive substances including sulphur powder and potassium nitrate along with books likely to be to commit an act of terrorism.

One book included advice on how to make the explosive Semtex.

The court heard how the teenager was planning to carry out a massacre at his school. Details were found in a search of his home.

The books included The Terrorist Handbook, the CIA Explosives for Sabotage Manual and the Handbook of Chemical and Biological Warfare Agents.